Ground

[Shane007]

So I painted my 8N, and like always I lost grounding to my lights. So I was wondering when these were painted at the factory, how did they
guarantee grounded parts. For example; Fender to axle housing? I end up just running grounds as needed.

 

[John in Mich]

I believe that lights were a dealer installed accessory.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

HiYa Shane-
Lighting kits were always a dealer optional accessory and never installed at the Rouge or Highland Park factories until The 800 Series when the headlights only were a factory installed OEM item. The key I do to ensuring a good ground for lights is first to make sure that the lamps are not painted at the swivel ball socket that the mounting brackets secure into. the mounting cups too should be paint and rust free, gently sanding or wire brushing by hand to bare metal. Rear fender lights may require to rattail file the holes they mount the Taillight and/or Worklight. The fenders will have bare metal in the bolt holes so when assembled a good complete ground is established. This is the method I came up with and has worked for me for 50 years. I have never had any issue with lights since then. Some fellas run two wires especially when working with 12 volts, but I have found no need to if my methods are used. The OEM Ford tractor original electrical system was 6V/POS GRN. That was one of the beauties of it. You only needed to run a hot wire as ground was always established as the secondary wire. I run this method whether 6V or 12V. Besides, I cringe at having extra wires running all over -just more stuff to work on and short out and get cut. Heck, I once saw a guy who had a regular household 120V AC light switch cobbled up on his 2N dash for a light switch! BTW, lights are not polarized so it doesn't matter which terminal is used for hot and ground.

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)